Locking and aligning device for belt stamps



May .4, 9 J. STREET 1,713,306

LOCKING AND ALIGNING DEVICE FOR BELT STAMPS Filed April 27, 1928 95 @I "my? fo m Sfreef m1, 'k dfiwg fd ww Patented May 14, 1929.

UNITED STATES.

JOHN STREET, or NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA, ssrenon or ONE-HALF .TO OSCAR M.

. 1,713,306 PATENT OFFICE.

HATOHER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. I

LOCKING AND ALIGNING DEVICE FOR BELT STAMPS.

, Application filed April 27,

My invention relates to belt stamps and has for its object to provide a stamp in which the individual belts thereof may beindependently adjusted and in which the type characters, when the belts are so adjusted, may be properly aligned and locked in position to prevent the displacement thereof throughout the use of the stamp.

Another object of the invention resides in providing an. aligning bar having two offset bearings adapted to be pivoted to the frame of the stamp adjacent the edges thereof and intermediate the belt rollers and impression bar, and in further providing one of said bearings with an offset arm terminating in a latch lug adapted to engage the stamp frame so as to hold the aligning bar in locked position.

A still further object of the invention resides in constructing said locking and align ing device of a single piece of wire and in bending the same to form said bearings, arm

and latch lug.

With the foregoing and other objectsin view, which will appear in the following description, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a belt stamp illustrating an embodiment of my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view-taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improved locking and aligning device detached from the stamp proper.

Fig. it in a sectional view taken on line 4i4: of Fig. 1 and drawn to a'larger scale.

In the use of belt stamps considerable difliculty and annoyance is encountered in the accidental displacement of the type faces of the stamp. In addition unsightly and irregular impressions are produced when the type are not carefully aligned or when the 7 device is not usedwith' considerable care.

My invention forms a simple and effective device whereby these disadvantages are eliminated and, wherby, the type faces are positively held in alignment and held from 1928. semi N'o. 273,220.

11 and a yoke like frame 12 including two spaced parallel side frame members 13 and 14: connected by a cross frame member 15 to which the handle 11 is rigidly attached. The tips of these frame members carry an impression bar 16 formed with ears 17 and 18 which engage the said frame members 13 and 14 and hold said'impression bar in place. A shaft 19, mounted at its ends in the side frame members 13 and-14c,carries a series of rollers 20, each fitted with a serrated operating wheel 21 of larger diameter than the roller, whereby the roller canbe rotated on the shaft 19. -A number of belts 22, 23, 24 and'25 pass'over these rollers and overthe' impressionbar 16 and are adapted to be severally shifted by their respective operating wheels 21 to bring selected sections there of over the impression bar 16. 1

Upon each of the belts 22, 23, 24 and 25 are arranged a series of type blocks 26 which are all constructed of the same height and which are separated from one another to provide grooves or spaces 27 therebetween. These type blocks have formed on the same suitable type characters, as indicated at 28,

which protrude beyond the surfaces of said blocks and form the impression when the stamp is used. It will be noted that all of the blocks 26 are of'such height as to form shoulders at the edges ofthe grooves 27,

which are adapted to be engaged by my improved aligning bar, as will presently be described, so as to hold the various belts from movement when thedevice is in operation.

My improved locking and aligning device is constructed of a piece of spring wire which I have indicated in its entirety at 29. This wire is formed with a portion 30 forming an aligning bar of a length sufficient to extend across all of the belts 22, 23, 2 1 and 25 and is bent to provide two bearings 31 and 32 disposed in'offset relation with respect to said aligning bar. Issuing from the bearing 31 is an arm 33 extending substantially at right angles to said bearing and terminating in a hooked'portion 34,

which serves as a l'atch lu for holdin the o p p a device in locking position.

The two frame members 18 and 14 of the stamp 10 are drilled near their edges 35 in a position intermediate the shaft 19 and the impression bar 16 to receive the two bearings 31 and 32. In installing the device, the

ill

hole in the frame member 14: and the arm 33 run along said hole until the bearing 31 takes position therein. The structure between the two bearings 31 and 32 is then sprung sutliciently to permit of the insertion of the bearing 32 within the hole in the frame member 13. Due to the fact that the device is constructed of resilient material, the aligning bar assumes its normal position when the bearing 32 enters the hole in frame member 13. hen so disposed, the aligning bar 30 operates freely between the two frame members 13 and 1 1 and spans all of the belts 22, 23, 2% and 25. This method of applying the aligning bar is used when the stamp is previously assembled though it can readily be comprehended that the same may be applied equally as well at the time that, the stamp is being assembled.

When the holding and aligning device is in position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the various stamp. belts 22, 23, 24 and 25 may be rotated to present the proper type characters across the face of the impression bar 16 so that the desired impressions may be had. As soon as the proper characters have been brought together, the holding and aligning device is swung by manipulation of the arm 22 into the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2. If the type faces have been properly set relative to the impression bar 16 the aligning bar 30 will fall within the lowermost groove 27 adjacent the impression bar 16. hen so disposed, this bar fits snugly between the shoulders formed on the type blocks 26 along this particular groove '27 and so holds the various belts 22, 23, 2 1 and 25 from movement in either direction. The device when properly locked brings yielding tension upon the various belts forcing the same inwardly toward the impression bar 16. 'This takes up the slack in the belts. Due to the fact that the bar 30 lies in the groove 27 adjacent the impression bar 16 and due to the yielding tension eX- erted upon the belts by the locking bar, any accidental slippage of the belts over said bar or displacement of the same out of alignment is prevented. If the aligning bar does not fall freely within groove 27 the appropriate belt or belts are adjusted until said bar can be lodged within the groove. By the proper positioning of the type faces in the same relative position upon the various type blocks 26 and by constructing said type blocks and the grooves 27 of proper dimensions the various type faces can be made to register and align with respect to one another when they are positioned upon the impression bar 16 so that a perfect imprint may be had from the stamp in the use of the same.

In the movement of the locking andaligning device from position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to the position shown in full lines, the arm 33 is sprung outwardly from the frame member 14: so as to permit the latch lug 34 to clear the same. hen the aligning bar 30 becomes properly seated in the groove 27 l ing adjacent the impression bar 16, the latch lug 34 may be sprung over the edge 35 of the frame member l l and, due to the resiliency of the device and of the belts 22, 23, 24, and 25 it remains so attached. In such position the aligning bar is firmly held from movement and the various belts locked in proper position. lVhen it is desired to alter -the type faces it is merely necessary to lift the latch lug 34 from engagement with the frame member 14; and to shift the locking and aligning device into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Upon replacing the same the various belts will be again held in ali 'mnent and locked from movement in either direction. 7

My invention highly meritorious in that an exceedingly simple and effective device is provided which can be installed upon existing belt stamps without appreciable alteration or reconstruction thereof. The device can be constructed at an exceptionally low cost and does not interfere in any way with the proper operation of the stamp. lVhen correctly installed upon a belt stamp, my invention positively and effectively locks the type characters in aligned position so as to cause the stamp to give a clear and true impression. Accidental misplacement of type characters, when the stamp is being used or not, is entirely prevented. Imperfect impressions being thus avoided, theutility of the stamp is increased.

. Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Iaving described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Let ters Patent is:

1. In combination with a belt stamp comprising a pair of spaced frame members, a shaft carried thereby, rollers mounted on said shaft, an impression bar extending across said frame members and a series of type belts passing around said rollers and impressionbar and formed with uniformly spaced grooves, of a resilient aligning and locking device including an aligning bar mounted on said frame members and adapted to be moved into and out of the grooves in said type belts and to bear yieldingly against the corresponding reaches of said type belts between said rollers and impression bar.

2. In combination with a belt stamp comprising a pair of spaced frame members, a shaft carried thereby, rollers mounted on said shaft, an impression bar extending across said frame members and a series of type belts passing around said rollers and impression bar and formed with uniformly spaced grooves, of a resilient ali ning and locking device including an aligning bar pivoted to said frame members and adapted to swing into and out of the grooves of said type belts and to bear yieldingly against the corresponding reaches of said type belts be tween said rollers and impression bar in near proximity to the latter.

3. In combination with a belt stamp, the

belts beim formed with s aced tv 3e chara: P ol acters thereon, of an aligning. and locking device comprising a pair of bearings and an aligning bar offset from said bearings, said bearings being .pivoted to the frame of said stamp, an arm issuing from one of said bearings for swinging the aligning bar into and out of engagement with the belts, and a looking device secured to the end of said arm.

4. In combination with a belt stamp having a frame comprising spaced members and a series of stamp belts movable therebetween and formed with uniformly spaced grooves between the type characters thereon, of a locking and aligning device comprising an aligning bar, bearingsformed on said aligning bar and offset relative thereto, said bearings being pivoted in said frame members near the edges thereof, and an arm issuing outwardly from one of said bearings and extending along the edge of said corresponding frame member, and a latch lug formed on the end of said arm and adapted to engage said frame member for locking said aligning bar within registering grooves of said stamp belts.

5. In combination with a belt stamp having a frame comprising spaced membersand a series of stamp belts movable therebetween and formed with uniformly spaced grooves between the type characters thereon, of an aligning and locking device formed of a single piece of wire comprising an aligning bar, and bearings bent from said wire in offset relation to said aligning bar, an arm bent out wardly at right angles from one of said bearings and terminating ina hooked portion forming a latch lug, said bearings being pivoted to said frame members near their edges and said arm extending outwardly from said bearing in such a direction as to permit of engagement of said latch lug with the edge of the corresponding frame member. v

6. In combination with a belt stamp having a frame comprising spaced members and a series of stamp belts movable therebetween and formed with uniformly spaced grooves between the type characters thereon, of a locking and aligning device comprising an aligning bar, bearings formed on said aligning bar and offset relative thereto, said bearings being pivoted in said frame members nearfhe edges thereof, and an arm issuing outwardly from one of saidbearings and extending along the edge of said corresponding frame member, and a latch lug formed on the end of said arm and adapted to engage said frame member for locking said aligning bar within registering grooves of said stamp belts, said arm being offset relative to said frame member so as to give ready access thereto for the disengagement of said latch lug from said frame member.

7 Incombination with a belt stamp com,- prising a pair of spaced frame members, a series of type belts formed with uniformly spaced grooves and means for supporting the type belts at the turns thereof, of an aligning and lacking device including an aligning bar adapted to be moved into the grooves in the type belts and against the corresponding reaches of said belts, whereby the active characters on said belts may be held in line and the belts drawn taut.

8. In combination with a belt stamp com prising a pair of spaced frame members, a

series of type beltsformed with uniformly spaced'grooves, and an impression bar for supporting each of said type belt-s at one turn thereof, of an aligning andlocking device including an aligning bar adapted to be moved into the grooves in the type belts between the turns thereof and against the corresponding reaches of said belts alonga line adjacent said impression-bar.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

JOHN STREET. 

